Saving time
by Delta3
Summary: Set after the sixth season. Emma and Hook struggle with their life now that things are back to normal. What is normal to them really? And knowing Storybrooke things won't stay calm for too long. An unexpected surprise and a mysterious force threatens the stability of both Storybrooke and their relationship, which faces more hardship and struggle than they thought possible.
1. Chapter 1

**1.**

I never thought I would see a day when living in Storybrooke was mundane. Even boring.

I looked up at the clear spring sky, inhaling the crisp air as a whiff of wind blew by and lifted my blonde hair in a glory around me. "Some savior-look" I thought to myself, brushing down the hair with one hand whilst trying to keep the other one steady, holding a big cup of take-out coffee from Grannie's. I was taking a break from work, going for a walk in the nice weather and had found myself down by the beach. I had stopped by the old fort where Henry and I had shared our first real moment, his secret fort made of driftwood that Regina had torn down during my first year here. Now it was only a patch of land, slightly different in color than the ground around it – the only sign that something special might have stood there at some point. It was eight years ago now – Henry was eighteen and all grown up. I felt myself drawn to this place, perhaps because I had missed his growing up here. This is the place he'd go when he felt lonely or upset, and I'd missed my chance at being there for him.

I shook myself slightly, trying to dispel the feeling of guilt and incompetence that would always follow this train of thought. I _knew_ he didn't blame me, and I also _knew_ that I'd done the right thing at that moment, that I could not do any better where I was. But I still felt the enormous regret when I remembered him when we first met, thinking that I might have been there through his first ten years.

It was March and the winter had been an especially cold one, only now had the snow melted. Thing had been quiet since the black fairy's curse had been lifted over a year ago, and we we're approaching our second uncursed summer in this lovely little place. It had been a quite uneventful year, the first one since I got here without threat from some evil force or other, and I was grateful.

It certainly was a dull day, I thought to myself smiling and starting to walk towards the Sheriffs' station again. In the horizon I saw the ocean sparkling like fairy crystals in the afternoon sun. My steps stopped abruptly and I squinted, wondering if what I saw was a mere mirage from the light playing on the water surface. No, it definitely was a mast appearing at the horizon!

I threw my coffee mug in the nearest trash bin and hurried down to the docks, where the ship would arrive, eager to meet the occupants. About twenty minutes of waiting, eagerly, I finally saw him standing there on the reel, gazing out towards me. My husband.

For the first months after the curse things had been great, living together exploring married life. I'd put him to work with me at the station and he was great at it. We had Henry at our house every other week, and the other weeks we hade the opportunity to truly get to know one another in everyday life. He loved to get up early in the mornings and go running, I'd sleep in and make breakfast late if we didn't have anything especially pressing at work. He loved pancakes and toast. We'd argue when he felt pressured to constantly do social things, where I was easily bored. He needed time on his own, doing physical work like he'd done most his life, and I was happy when I could avoid those things. He worked on the house and yard a lot.

He was from a world without constant stimuli from the environment, and it was constant compromise between us – watching TV or going hunting in the woods, reading the newspaper at breakfast or just sitting in the yard listening to birds. Going out to dinner with all our friends, or taking a moonlight stroll. It was a compromise, but we were happy. I'd love how he showed me the beauty in the little things, and I felt I could share my other sides with him and he would truly commit to trying to understand why, for instance, a reality TV-show could actually be considered interesting or funny. Though I'm sure he faked his understanding in that last instance, and I loved him all the more for that.

After about six months things had started to change, and I felt that he might not be as happy as I thought. He had told me everything was fine, but I could tell it was not. After much pressing he had said that he missed his world, his ship and his life.

XXXXX

 _-_ _Christ, Swan I feel like the most ungrateful bloody idiot, but I don't know what to do here. I love you, you know I do, but this world isn't mine. I've lived on the ocean for two hundred years and as much as I wish this was enough for me… he broke down at this point, and so did I. Jesus, I thought – I hated to be that girl, crying over her boyfriend – correction husband – not wanting him to leave. But that thought made me mad, realizing what he was actually doing._

 _\- This is too little too late Hook! You married me, remember? I'm not even technically your "Swan" anymore; it's Jones now right? I'm not some random maiden you can leave in a port and assume I'll wait pining for you to come sailing in! I'm your wife! Don't you think I've sacrificed things for us? For this life we've made? You can't say I'm not enough, that's bullshit! YOU said you wanted this. Over and over! His eyes followed me as I paced around the living room, and they were filled with regret and shame._

 _\- Emma, of course! I don't mean that YOU aren't enough, christ love…. I DO want this; I want you! Forever, just like I've always wanted you. I just mean this realm, this town, this routine – I feel like I need to do something more… he buried his face in his one working hand and my anger melted away. I sat down next to him on the couch and embraced him. I understood not feeling at home because I'd felt that way most my life. I never wanted to be the one keeping him in a routine that made him feel like that. He slowly relaxed in my arms and shifted to allow access to kiss me. His lips, wet and soft, pressed hard against mine in a sort of desperation. I let him keep kissing me, knowing so well where it was leading and that this was our way to reconcile. Sex always made us better for a while, drawn to each other like two moths to a big and intoxicating flame. A thought in the back of my head prickled, telling me this was not the mature way to solve a fight, but desire and an urge to feel good about us again won that struggle easily._

 _XXXXX_

As I remembered that summer night I could almost feel his cold metal hook against the back of my neck. He usually took it of when we made love, but this time there was a sense of urgency that we somehow didn't think of it. I remember thinking that he got my clothes of so fast that I couldn't believe he only had the one working hand, and I could still hear the summer birds chirping outside the window, announcing the mornings impending arrival as we were joined there on the couch. And again, on the floor, before we silently walked upstairs to our bedroom, soon falling fast asleep in each other's arms.

We decided after a lot of debate that us working together might not be the best idea, that he needed his own thing. I admitted too that being together every hour of every day might not have been the best idea, for me either. I looked forward to missing him for a bit, and doing things my own way at least part of the day.

We had been talking some time about finding a way to go back and forth between realms that wouldn't be so hard – most of our friends in Storybrooke had half their life in the enchanted forest, and half their life here and we knew they'd never be truly satisfied knowing they were trapped here and it weren't their choice not to go back. We did have a couple of magic beans, and had planted them in the spring, but this method was always quite untrustworthy – we were at mercy of the weather for the beans to grow properly, an every trip would still mean wasting one bean, and most of the inhabitants wanted to come and go every once in a while – visit their friends and relatives in each world. What we wanted for that was the Mad Hatters hat.

It was only natural that it would be Hooks job securing a mean of travel between realms, since travelling was something he'd done for hundreds of years. He lit up when we started talking about it, and I couldn't even be sad about him going away doing his own thing when I saw how happy it made him.

He'd been using a few beans already, travelling back and forth between the enchanted forest and Storybrook aboard the Jolly Roger, trying to locate the Mad Hatter, or at least his hat, but had been unsuccessful so far. I missed him terribly when he was away, but we had a necklace each with mermaid magic; a small shell that worked like a walkie-talkie between realms and made it easier to at least know he was all right.

This time he'd been away for almost four weeks, and as I stood there on the docks peering at the ship getting closer and closer I felt my heart filling with each inch of water the ship passed. What I had said to him in the heat of the moment, that I wouldn't wait for him, pining in some port, were obviously a lie because here I was, eagerly awaiting his arrival, even though a small fraction of my being felt sorrow that our lives would never truly be joined. He needed his freedom, and I needed him close, yet I still needed to be with to my family and maintain the peace in our town. It was an equation impossible to solve, yet in the back of my mind I knew I'd never give up having him, even if it meant I couldn't have all of him.


	2. Chapter 2

**2.**

That smile, that lovely smile greeted me as the boat closed in on the dock. He jumped off and was in my arms before I even had time to think.

 _\- I missed you love_ , he said and kissed me. I felt myself smiling against his lips, having missed them more than I realized now that I had them again.

\- I missed you too Killian. A lot, a lot. It's good to have you home. I sighed against his chest as he hugged me tight. He stroked my hair with his good hand and said:

 _\- I'm glad to be here. I'm so tired, have barely slept for days. We had a bad storm coming out of Neverland, and the ship barely made it through. Every one's alright though, except Davis – he got knocked over by the rig. But he'll be alright in the end I guess._

 _-Neverland?_ I looked questioningly into his eyes and let go of him slightly. _Why would you go there?_

 _\- We thought the lost boys might've gotten a hold of the Mad Hatter, but we couldn't find him, or the hat this time either. Sorry love, but we had to._ He looked at me with a hint of guilt in his eyes, but I could see the fire burning behind it – the fire of adventure and thrill that fueled him. He also knew I didn't like that place, therefore the guilt. I swallowed.

 _\- As long as it went alright. I'm happy to have you home…_ He smiled and caressed my chin, gave me a smaller kiss on my forehead.

Now that I had time to really look at him he did look ragged and tired. A bit thinner then when he left too. I eyed him from head to toe and he laughed at me.

 _\- I know I look terrible love, but I feel just fine. Just need some sleep and some food. Will you come to Grannie's with me and pick up a burger? I've longed for those since we set sail._

 _\- I wish I could, but I'm actually just on a break from work, I'm meeting up with dad at the station…_ I looked at my clock _… crap, I was supposed to be there twenty minutes ago! We're supposed to drive over to Archie's together to ask him about a few things. But I'll catch up with you at home in a couple of hours, alright?_

I called my dad on the way to the station, explaining that Killian had come home. Being my dad he supported me of course, but I could detect a hint of worry in his voice as he expressed his happiness at my husbands return. I knew he and my mom was concerned that Hook was travelling so much these days, and since he and Hook didn't exactly have the best start to their relationship I was always tentative about sharing the whole truth with him. Mom was easier, she got me better, but dad could really go into his parent mode and tune in on every potential threat to my happiness as if it was his job to make sure my life was perfect. It was still hard getting used to, since I never had it growing up, and it was still made weirder by the fact that we looked and acted pretty much the same age. I'd only told him that this was our decision, that we needed the Mad Hatters' hat and that Hook was the best man for the job, leaving out the fact that he looked for something to get him out of town now and then. The thought made me gloomier than ever and I paced up my step towards work, hoping that this denial was only for his sake and not also for myself.

I got home around five, work had kept me busy and I hadn't had time to think too much about return to town. As I opened the gate to our yard, looking at the front porch I hesitated thinking for a second that I might leave and go back. It was a beautiful old wooden house, nice porch, big yard with fruit trees and secret hideouts. Truly a dream for someone like me who never had a proper home, and we chose it because it felt like a place to stay in forever, somewhere we would never have to leave. I felt the tinge of bitterness at my tongue.

Why did I hesitate? I thought for a second, searching for what my body was trying to tell me by pausing. I guess was afraid that I'd meet someone I didn't recognize – that every trip made him more of a stranger and less and less mine in a way. I knew I was being selfish, that I couldn't own him and that no amount of travelling would make him less mine, but that little abandoned girl I once was urging me to leave before I got hurt again. I swallowed hard, taking a deep breath and smoothing back my hair. "come on Swan, you got this. He's your husband, he chose you for life", I thought to myself and started walking up the steps to the front door. As I pushed the heavy old wooden door open the smell of him filled my nostrils and made me feel slightly calmer. His leather bag was sitting on a chair in the entrance, but the house seemed empty, no sound that could signal his whereabouts.

A short while later I found him, sleeping heavily on the covers in our bedroom. He hadn't taken hos travelling clothes of and smelled of seawater and sweat. I sat down next to him, stroking his cheek slowly. His beard was longer than when he left, his hair too. I let my hand comb out a few strands of it, rough and dirty but still soft. He snored and moved around, but didn't wake. "Now what?" I thought to myself. "Should I wake him?" He looked so tired that I didn't have the heart to do it. Instead I walked downstairs and found a brown bag on the table with a sandwich from Grannie's inside. He'd left it for me – a note said: _if you are hungry after work,_ on it. I ate quickly, while browsing through a newspaper left on the table.

Henry was at Regina's, but was probably out with his girlfriend at this moment, they usually spent Fridays together. "Jesus, it's Friday already" I thought to myself, feeling a bit pathetic with my slightly stale sandwich and sleeping husband. I thought I'd try making myself feel better so I turned on some of my favorite music, not too loud to wake Hook but loud enough to drown out the loneliness a bit, and started building a fire in the fireplace. Afterwards I poured myself a glass of red wine and cozied up on the couch with the book I was reading at the moment.

Half an hour later I was feeling restless, and not knowing what to do I decided to take a shower. Having lived a big part of your life on the road I always loved to get clean, not taking the opportunity for granted. I could shower for hours if no one stopped me.

Well in the shower I felt most of my worries melt away along with the almost burning hot water that met my skin. I let myself be totally engulfed in the water, barely hearing the music outside, and not quite listening either. I thought to myself that I needed to calm down and stop worrying so damn much. I had my family, my husband and my son; everyone was in my life and we were all happy. "This is our happy ending, remember?" I felt my shoulders relaxing downwards and let out a small sigh trying to convince myself. All of sudden a gush of cold air seeped in behind me and I was not alone in the shower cabinet. I felt his breath on my neck as he spoke.

\- _I never noticed you getting home. Sorry love._ I felt myself shudder as his hand touched my bare skin at the neck. Damn it, we'd been together for a long time and he still gave me goose bumps when I wasn't paying attention. He was my husband, there was no need to feel shy, in fact we used to shower together all the time before, but something about not seeing him for a while made me feel like this was the first time he saw me naked. I swallowed and turned around meeting his gaze. I was almost as tall as him, my nose meeting his chin. He leaned in and kissed me, making me take a step backwards which led him straight under the water jet. He let out a sigh of relief as the hot water met his face and body, and I could see dirt mixing with the water and running down his skin, pooling at our feet. I really didn't know what to say, so instead I grabbed some soap and started rubbing his chest. It was not really sexual; it felt more like taking care of him. It was satisfying practically seeing the dirt mingle with the soap and leaving his body. But when he met my eyes for the second time, and kissed me again, we didn't stop for a long while.

Later we got out of the shower and got dressed in some clean clothes, which was one of my favorite things in the world. Again, something from my past that I still couldn't take for granted. We headed downstairs where the fireplace still burned, but had gone down to a soft ember glow. He poured us a couple of glasses of rum and we cozied down on the couch.

 _\- So now, captain. Tell me about your trip!_


	3. Chapter 3

**3.**

Things had just started to get back normal when he was leaving again. He'd been home about two months and I'd gotten used to his presence around the house again. His stuff piling up everywhere, him making me dinner most nights because for one, I can't cook and for another he had way more time.

After what they'd learned from Tigerlily in Neverland (She'd finally defeated the last of the lost boys and now had the island all to herself) they knew that the Mad Hatter had been there, but left through his hat as soon as he realized that the lost boys were gone. She was convinced he'd been looking for something special, but he never said why, so she gathered he'd continued looking through the realms.

We were having Friday night dinner with my family when Hook broke the news. "Crap" I thought to myself, as he uttered the words, then "pull together Swan! He's told you, over and over that this has nothing to do with you" it convinced me a little bit, but not all the way to the core, I still felt cold, and not too happy that he was announcing his leaving like this, without discussing it with me first.

As I looked around the table I saw the disappointment in their faces – Henry stopped chewing, my dad looked like he didn't know what to say and mom looking worried, shifting focus between me, Hook, Henry and her husband. Regina on the other hand didn't really seem affected by the whole thing, but she was a little bit on the outside looking in.

 _\- So, you think you'll find it this time then?_ She was the one to break the silence.

 _\- Yeah, I think this might be it. Now we know for certain that the Mad Hatter is alive, and has probably got the hats with him wherever he's hiding. I don't know why though, he's got nothing to be afraid for, from what I gather. Granted, he didn't really help things when the dark cursed hit the first time but that was ages ago and no one really cares anymore right?_ He looked around.

 _\- I might care, since he kidnapped my wife and almost killed my daughter, but what do I know?_ David muttered under his breath. Mom gave him a look of disappointment and shushed him.

 _\- Of course we don't care anymore, we all did bad things to each other back in those days right? And we've come so for from that! You, for instance didn't even know I was your wife at that time,_ she shot Dad a meaning glance, _and we'd never hold him accountable for his actions around that time._ She sent Hook an encouraging look over the table.

Later, Henry helped clear the table and I was filling the dishwasher. Hook walked in and started helping, clumsily with his one working hand.

 _\- I got it!_ I said, rather sourly. And he paused his actions looking me in the face. Henry quickly caught on and drifted of towards the basement where he had his room and private space.

Hook kept looking at me, waiting for me to make the first move. " _crap, he looks so innocent_ " I thought to myself not wanting to give in to forgiving him just yet.

 _\- Look… Just go upstairs and go to bed, and I'll join you in five minutes and we can talk, okay? I just need a moment._ He nodded slowly and handed me the bowl he was holding, walking towards the stairs. I knew he didn't want Henry to hear us fighting either so going upstairs was probably safest.

Five minutes of doing dishes went by like five seconds, and I had no idea what I'd say anymore than I had when he'd left the room. I turned out the lights, it was dark out already, and locked the front door before slowly dragging myself upstairs. He was sitting on the bed with his feet crossed, all his clothes still on, clearly waiting. I walked over to the wardrobe, starting to take off my fancy jacket, both as a way to turn my back on him and for having something to occupy my hands with.

 _\- I'm sorry love, I should have said something before… I don't know what came over me. I didn't want to disappoint you I guess._ He sounded sincere.

 _\- I'm not disappointed. I know you need your adventure and you purpose in life, and I'm fine with it. But tell me before you tell them! I can't believe you'd put me in that position._ I did my best trying to hide my true feelings, but failed miserably; you could not only hear the tone in my voice but also almost smell my desperation in the air. He got up from the bed and walked over to me, grabbing me by the shoulders and turning me to face him. I buried myself in his chest, breathing in his scent for a moment. I knew he loved me, and I knew it in my bones. There was no need to be mad at him for being himself. I reached up and kissed him, and he answered the kiss firstly hesitantly and then with eagerness. I knew I was doing it again, getting rid of anger by intimacy, but I couldn't help myself.

My hands shimmed down his body and found his belt. I was familiar with its mechanism, knowing how to unbuckle it fast. He suddenly broke the kiss and grabbed my hand.

 _\- You don't need to do this love, kissing is just fine._ I felt confused, he never used to say no to sex really.

 _\- What do you mean? I love you, I want you._ I stared kissing him again.

 _\- Alright, love, but you're not usually up for it, this time of the month if you know what I'm saying, I just wasn't sure what you where going for just then. Because, if you're thinking about doing something for just my benefit then I'm just saying that there's no need._ He shot me a meaning look, and I understood perfectly what he thought I was trying to do to him. Not that I didn't enjoy that particular way of pleasing a man, but it was not what I'd had in mind when I started. But when the whole concept of what he was insinuating caught up with me, I felt like someone dropped a cannon ball in the center of my stomach.

"This time of the month?", I thought to myself, he thought I'd be on my period. And I wasn't. "When did I last get it?" I felt my heart starting to pound, panic welling up, whilst still trying to stay focused on remembering how many weeks it had been. I met his eyes again and realized he saw exactly what was going on in my head right at that moment.

 _\- No, you're not, right love?_ He had let go of my hand and now he backed away a few steps, with, what I assumed was, the same look of panic in his eyes as me. He sat down on the bed, furiously rubbing his working hand against his thigh.

 _\- I guess not, I don't know! Just let me think for a moment…._ I'd tried to sound calm but my faking was extremely bad.

\- _How would you know, anyway – do you really keep track?_ I wasn't really mad at him but it came out harsher than I planned.

 _\- Well I don't know, it's not bloody arithmetic's, and you always tell me when it's off limits so of course I know roughly. Christ love, you told me you could control this here? That there were pills or operations or whatever, that I didn't need to think about it? What the hell happened?_ Now he sounded mad, and I felt frustrated.

 _\- Jesus Christ, I need my calendar! We don't know that it happened in the first place, and you can never know one hundred percent even if you do everything right! What the hell did you think; this chance is always there when you WILLINGLY choose to sleep with someone! Sometime life comes in and messes things up because that's what life does. Really Hook, you were dead once and came back to me, you really never thought this could happen just because there are methods to protect against it?_ I knew it was probably unfair to put this on him, but my frustration was welling up. We'd talked briefly about using protection, and I'd made sure to be the one to get it done because this was my town and my realm. Where he was from there was no options like this. We never really talk about kids, but right after we got married and had lifted the curse I was so sure that we needed alone time for a while that it was never really a conversation I started, and then he started leaving for the enchanted forest on these trips and it was naturally not something we thought about then. Or at least me, I had no idea what he thought of really, but I assumed according to his reaction that it hadn't been on his mind either.

I still felt frustrated that he'd put this on me, and a small part of me was probably disappointed at him reacting like this was the worst thing he could think of. I repeated that I needed my calendar and walked out of the room to go downstairs and get it. When I flipped the pages, there it clearly wasn't – I was about five days late. I couldn't be sure, of course, but I would always be on time like a clock. My mind wandered down my body, sensing carefully if anything felt different. I'd done this once before, but it was eighteen years ago, I couldn't really remember. I could feel a slight dull ache at the bottom of my stomach, nothing that couldn't be just a period cramp, but it felt more like a weight than an actual pain. My breasts felt fuller than normal, but that was too something that could happen just before my period I guessed. I never kept track of these things, not having thought about being pregnant in a long time.

I walked slowly upstairs.

 _\- So?_ His eager and worried tone wasn't exactly helping me, and I felt myself getting more and more frustrated.

 _\- I might be, I'm not sure. I'm five days late._ He dropped his back down on the bed in a sigh, and I felt more hurt than ever at this reaction.

 _\- Really Hook, what the hell? I'm not exactly happy about this but don't put this all on me. Shit happens! It's not exactly flattering to see that your worst nightmare is having a kid with me, that the idea of us having a baby makes you basically want to hang yourself. But all right, good to know where you stand!_ I was almost yelling at this point. He sat up on the bed again, looking desperate.

 _\- I'm not fucking father material Swan. Christ! I would be terrible at this. I just wanted US for a while. Damn it. I'm sorry, I'm being selfish but it's the truth. I can't even stay in the same place for more than three months, how do you expect me to handle a kid? I ruin people, that's what I do! Remember what happened to Baelfire – I lied and disappointed him and he ended up with the lost boys instead. I would never want to be that kind of dad again._ I felt my anger melt away a little at this, but I still wasn't happy about him.

 _\- You weren't his dad, Killian! Come on, don't do this. Don't make this worse by telling yourself you can't. I've seen you with Henry, I know you have it in you. We don't even know if it's a fact yet right? I just, I'll go to the store and get a test and we'll know for real. We'll deal with when we really know we need to._

 _-there's a test? God, I love this realm sometimes even though it's a bit dull._ The upbeat tone in his voice at this new knowledge made me laugh, and I relaxed a bit.

 _Alright hun, I'll go get the damned test and see you home in a while, okay?_ He relaxed back on the bed.

I left him in the bedroom, and took the shortcut to the pharmacy. There I hurried as much as I could, partly because I wanted to get home and get it over with, and partly because I didn't want anyone to see me, and what I was buying. Luckily, Friday night wasn't prime time for pharmacy shopping and I was alone in the shop. It was open until twelve, only because there was no way to get medicine for about fifty miles, and people rarely used that convenience. How often do you really need medicine in the middle of the night? I got three different tests, just in case. The cashier was a young guy, not much older than Henry, blonde and with a bored look in his eyes. His side job most likely, not the most fun way to spend his Friday night I thought to myself. I didn't recognize him, but could see in his eyes that he knew who I was. Everyone in Storybrooke did though.

- _Cash or credit?_ He raised one eyebrow as I handed over my tests, but of course didn't mention anything. I gave him a fistful of cash, said a sharp _good night!_ and hurried home again.

When I got there, Killian wasn't where I left him in the bedroom; instead a note was taped to the mirror on the wall.

 _Sorry love, I just needed some fresh air. I'll be back shortly,_

 _K._

"Okay, you could've come with me to the store then, but go ahead do your own thing like always", I thought to myself. I stood for a few seconds, thinking about waiting for him, but If he was doing his own thing, so would I! I headed for the bathroom.

The first test came out fast, two clear blue parallel lines. I felt my stomach drop even lower as I realized what that meant. "Christ, Swan" I thought to myself. Just to be sure, I drank two glasses of water, went downstairs and up again, did some jumping jacks and as soon as I felt the urge to pee again I took another one. This time a plus sign, which apparently meant the exact same thing. I was pregnant, for sure.

I hated that I was alone for this. Alone AGAIN. Next time was supposed to be different, I had a husband now, and yet I was exactly where I was eighteen years ago. Granted, then I'd taken the test at a correctional facility, but I was still alone, afraid, not knowing what would happen and there was some guy not being there for me. I decided to take a shower, my answer to every bad feeling, and when he wasn't there when I got out I started getting ready for bed.

After about an hour I was waiting patiently with a book in our bed, and he still hadn't come home. It was really getting late, and I was starting to worry that something could've happened, so I decided to call him. I found my phone and dialed the numbers, hands sweating and fumbling with the touch screen. After a few signals he picked up.

 _\- Sorry love, just sitting by the docks. Lost track of time. I'll be home in a minute…_ He didn't bother saying hello, or asking why I called. He knew full well it was me. I couldn't wait any longer, I felt I had to tell him or die.

- _Killian… the test came back positive, which means I'm really pregnant. I'm sorry…_ There was a moment of silence on the other line when I thought my heart might have given up, then he said:

 _\- No, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry Emma. On my way, love._

Only, in the morning, about seven hours later, he'd still not come home.


End file.
